1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to a ball valve assembly wherein the entire valve internals can be removed easily for service even under extreme environments.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Valves in remote locations or in environments where human access is limited have been extremely difficult to maintain. Examples of such locations include the ocean floor and arctic areas. Ball valves are commonly used in pipelines because they provide a through conduit. However, they are particularly difficult to disassemble and reassemble when positioned, for example, on the ocean floor. Typically, such a valve would require a diver to remove the bonnet attached to the housing, disconnect the internal elements such as seats, remove the disc from the valve, and thereafter remove other internals. Each of these steps require tool manipulation, crane manipulation, and complex communications, U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,183 is an example of a ball valve which provides successful flow regulation and is assembled and disassembled in a well-known manner.